We’ve all had those moments where we look back and wonder “Did God really call me to this?” Maybe your reason for wondering might stem from seemingly unending difficulty, major setbacks, a long period where you appear to make no progress, or just flat out doubt. Sometimes we do really need to turn back to God and redirect our course, but other times we just need to press on and stay strong. I hope this blog will help you weather the storms of doubt and difficulty and enable you to stay strong through seasons of uncertainty.
God Only Needs to Call You Once
Let’s look back to the moment you were first called to this mission. What was that like? How confident are you that God spoke to you in that moment? Obviously you were confident enough start journeying down this path. You saw some vision or idea and realized it was worth the risk. So, what’s changed?
God doesn’t need to keep appearing to us just to inform us “don’t worry, I haven’t changed my mind yet.” Sometimes he does do this, but often times he only calls us once. God will often speak to us again to give us more direction. However, until we get that clearer direction, our responsibility is to continue walking down the path he’s set us on. Jesus warned us that the path would be full of troubles and doubt.
The real question you should ask yourself here is whether or not God called you at all. It’s possible you are on this path just because you wanted to be on it. Perhaps you do need to abandon ship. If you aren’t certain about whether or not God called you, check out my blog post God’s Calling or Your Own Desire?
A Personal Story
I’ll be honest with you. Even though I’ve written six books, and am now working on my seventh, I’m filled with doubt through much of the writing process. I ask myself “Is this even good? Will anyone read this? Should I just abandon this project and move on?”
The first part of the novel thrills me because it’s usually a more action filled section. I enjoy the last third because I get to resolve all the conflicts I’ve built up. It’s the middle part that I struggle with. Fortunately, I’ve written enough to I see this trend of discouragement. I recognize this is normal, and that once I reach the last third of the book, the doubt will vanish. So I just push through. No matter how much I hate what I’m writing, I trudge on.
How do you Stay Strong Through Seasons of Uncertainty?
Now that we know we should stay strong through seasons of uncertainty, the real question is how do we do this? When I’m struggling with doubt, I remind myself of the initial excitement I felt. Why was I excited to write this book or go on this adventure? What was the reason God gave me to do this? What sort of impact could be waiting for me right around the corner?
Sometimes I just have to trust my younger self. If I thought this idea was a great before, then it probably still is, even if I currently don’t think so. Particularly with writing, I also have to remember that it might not be as exciting for me at that moment because this idea is old for me. However, this idea is still new for my readers. I might have known the ending for a year, but the reader just started reading as little as a day ago and is eager to see how it concludes.
Think about the people you’ll impact. This might be a hard time for you, but there’s someone out there who needs you to do what God has called you to do. Who knows how many people will trust in Christ because of what you are working toward?
If we are looking back at the initial vision, and looking forward at what God will do, it’s also good to look at where you are. Count the small victories. What impact are you already making? It might be hard to see initially, but if you look close enough, I’m sure God is at work changing lives through you. If not, perhaps you need to alter your path a bit.
I hope this post encouraged you. God wouldn’t call you down this path if he didn’t have a reason. And God only does amazing things. If he’s partnering with you, he’s got some great work planned for you. Do you have any other strategies to stay motivated while you are feeling uncertain?
If you are in a season of waiting, you might be encouraged by my blog post How to be Faithful to God While Playing the Waiting Game
